Iraq may soon allow 9-year-old girls to get married: All you need to know about new law ’exploiting poverty’

Girls as young as nine-years-old may soon be allowed to marry under Iraqi law. Officials in the country are currently mulling an amendment to the Personal Status Law that can significantly increase the risk of rape and other violations. The legal changes will also give religious authorities the power to decide on family affairs including marriage, divorce and the care of children.

According to a survivor of child marriage interviewed by NBC News,  the amendments will essentially help parents “sell” their children to the highest bidders. The amentment — which continues to move forward in spite of widespread protests and criticism — will also authenticate unregistered marriages that have been conducted by religious leaders 

“Changing the law will give parents the right to sell their young daughters. I don’t want to call it marriage, because when a girl gets married at the age of 9 or 10, it means her family has sold her. It also allows men to exploit the poverty that many Iraqi families are experiencing,” Batta told NBC News during a telephonic interaction last month.